his thoughts. we will go to lee who is in mississippi, a republican. hi, lee. caller: how you doing? host: good morning. you got to make it quick because the house is about to. . gavel in caller: my point is that the government should get out of, uhhh, should get out of the hospitals and all this stuff. host: ok. caller: because if you look at a chart, when this stuff started, my insurance cost me $.25 a week. that's what accosted -- that's what it costed. but when johnson passed the law and the government got into medicine and the hospitals and stuff. you look at hr, there's a chart that shows that it goes straight up. if the government would get out of medicine. host: we will take that point and i will share with you on our website, c-span.org, lots of

debate on capitol hill and there will be continuing debate today between republicans and democrats over what to do about the rising cost of health care. we covered several events on that topic yesterday. go to c-span.org for more. we are going to big up to the house now. they are gaveling in for their legislative business early this morning. live gavel-to-gavel coverage here on c-span.

the speaker: the house will be in order. the prayer will be offered by the guest chaplain, dr. yancey arrington, clear creek community church, league city, texas. the chaplain: dear light, let us pray. our lord, high and mighty, king of kings, lord of lords, who from your thrown reign with power supreme and uncontrolled over all kingdoms, emspires, and governments look down in mercy. we implore you on this our country, united states of america, and upon 24 body who have been given charge of governance. may they overcome appeals tempting them to rule in favor of the oppressor, over the pressed, the wicked over the righteous, the guilty over the innocent. on the contrary, knowing that the lord yaway the most high god is to be feared a great king over all the earth, and got

raines over the nations. god sits on his holy thrown. may these honorable men and women do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your lordship in the wise and peaceful exercise of their duties. all this we ask through the name and merits of jesus christ your son and savior, amen. the speaker: the chair has examined the journal of the last day's proceedings and announces to the house the approval thereof. pursuant to clause 1 of rule 1, the journal stands approved. the pledge of allegiance will be led by the gentleman from tennessee, mr. dejar lay -- mr. desjarlais. mr. desjarlais: i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the speaker: without objection, the gentleman from texas, mr. arrington, is recognized for one minute. mr. arrington: mr. speaker, what a joy and honor to hear the

voice of my older brother leading the people's house in prayer this morning. continuing the sacred tradition since 1789, of calling on almighty god to consequence rate our -- consecrate our service for the good of the american people. dr. yancey cook arrington is an eighth generation texan who for over 25 years as served as the teaching pastor at clear creek community church in the bay area of houston. he's joined in the gallery by his love will i wife. they are proud -- lovely wife. they are proud parents of my three nephews. mr. speaker, i am eternally grateful for my mother's spiritual influence over the years, and have always been inspired by his unwavering devotion to god's word, god's people, and to god's only begotten son, jesus our lord. thanks be to god for men like yancey, pastors and preachers, throughout these united states who have dedicated their lives to reminding us that america is

great because god is good. and only, and only if we continue to trust in him, the sovereign and eternal source of that goodness, will america continue to be great. i yield back. the speaker: the chair lays before the house a communication. the clerk: the honorable the speaker, house of representatives. i have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of the letter received from mr. mark goins, coordinator of elections with the tennessee office of the secretary of state, indicating that according to the unofficial results for the special general election held on december 2, 2025, the honorable matt van epps, was elected representative to congress for the 7th congressional district of tennessee. signed, sincere-l, kevin f. mccumber, clerk. the speaker: for what purpose does the gentleman from tennessee seek recognition? >> thank you, mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent that the

gentleman from tennessee, the honorable matt van epps, be permitted to take the oath of office today. his certificate of election has not yet arrived but there is no contest and no question has been raised with regard to his election. the speaker: without objection. will representative elect van epps and the members of the tennessee delegation present themselves in the well. we ask all members to rise and the representative elect will raise his right hand. do you solemnly swear that you will support and defend the constitution of the united states against all enemy, foreign and domestic, that you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that you take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which you are about to enter, so help you god. mr. van epps: i do. the speaker: congratulations you are now a member of the 119th congress.

without objection, the gentleman from tennessee is recognized for one minute, mr. desjarlais. mr. desjarlais: mr. speaker, i stand here today with our republican colleagues, including mr. fleischmann, who joins me as the dean of our republican delegation torques welcome our new colleague to the house. matt van epps brings great personal story to us here in the congress. he's a west point graduate. a lieutenant colonel, and has a distinguished record of combat service as a helicopter pilot and mission commander. he is a proven leader with government experience as a member of governor lee's cabinet, serving as the commissioner of the department of general services for the state of tennessee, manning the day-to-day operations of just about every aspect of tennessee

state government. but most importantly, he is a husband and a father. titles much more important than the one you will soon have as congressman. we are also happy that meg and amelia are here, as well as so many other family and friends joining him on this momentous occasion. matt has lived his life to the values of duty, honor, and country, and i know that he will carry those values into the congress. we are excited to have him working with us, and i know so many of you in this chamber on both sides of the aisle will also appreciate and enjoy serving with him as well. but, matt, let me quickly interject here, this institution is built on debate. and as every member in this chamber can tell you, we don't always agree on things.

so, matt, let me give you your first chance at providing a rebuttal. as the father of a naval academy graduate we have an important game coming up. i'll simply say, go, navy. beat army. i now welcome and yield to the gentleman from tennessee 7th congressional district, congressman matt van epps for his response. mr. van epps: thank you. thank you. thank you, mr. speaker. i stand here today humble by the trust that people of tennessee's seventh district have placed in me. i come to this distinguished body as a christian, a husband, and a father. and an army special opt prayings helicopter pilot, with nine combat tours, who has seen firsthand what makes this nation exceptional. america's strength comes from our enduring belief that freedom is worth fighting for. from our commitment to protect

and empower the hardworking families who make the american dream possible. my commitment is simple. lower prices for tennesseans, bring down health care costs, protect communities, and restore american energy independence and economic strength. i will work every day with president trump and my colleagues in this house to deliver on the america first agenda. our constituents are looking for results that people of tennessee didn't send me here to just give a speech, they sent me here to deliver. that is exactly what i intend to do. today we make history as this is the first time a west point graduate will succeed another west point graduate for the exact same congressional seat. respectfully, sir, go army, beat navy. thank you, i yield back.

the speaker: under clause 5 of rule 20, the chair announces to the house that in light of the administration of the oath to the gentleman from tennessee, the whole number of the house is now 433. the chair will entertain up to five further requests for one-minute speeches on each side of the aisle. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. m mr. weber: mr. speaker, i rise today with great pride to welcome our guest preacher here today, our guest chaplain, if you will, dr. yancey arrington. he serves as a teaching pastor. he's in my district and does a great service in our district. he's a vibrant congregation under his tutorship. he's in the heart of texas 14th district, he's a devoted

follower of the lord and savior, gjesus christ, the righteous. for decades he has been the shepherd to families across our communities, preaching the gospel of jesus christ who died for our sins. dr. arrington preaches about the savior with conviction, clarity and a heart firmly rooted in service. i've known dr. arrington personally and i can tell you, he is the real deal. i know that because his wife told me. ok? his walk matches his talk, whether he's teaching scripture about jesus, ministering young leaders or helping folks through some of life's hardest moments, he does it with humility and a steady faith that strengthens everyone around him. he also happens to be the brother of my friend and texas colleague, congressman chairman jodey arrington, a true family known across texas for their christian leadership. mr. speaker, we are so grateful to have dr. arrington open today's proceedings in prayer.

may god continue to bless him, his bride, jennifer, their three boys, and the great work being done at clear creek community church. thank you, mr. speaker, and yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentlelady from texas seek recognition? the gentlelady is recognized. ms. johnson: mr. speaker, i rise today to announce the introduction of my bipartisan fast-tracked health care apprenticeships act, alongside my friend, congressman mike kennedy from utah. across the country and especially in texas, families are feeling the strain of a health care system that simply does not have enough trained professionals. longer wait times, higher costs, and fewer options for care are symptoms of a workforce that is stretched far beyond its limits. our bill takes a commonsense approach to address this shortage. it streamlines and modernizes

the health care apprenticeship approval process, requiring federal and state labor agencies to act on the application within 45 days, and directs the department of labor to digitize and update the apprenticeship agreement forms to make them more accessible. these changes will help aspiring health workers get trained faster and step into good-paying, stable jobs. it will reduce barriers for employers, strengthen our workforce pipeline, and expand access to care in communities that desperately need it. our bipartisan bill supports workers, providers and helps ensure that every family can rely on a health care system that is accessible, affordable and built to meet their needs. i urge all of my colleagues to join us in supporting this bill and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition? mr. thompson: request to address the house for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute.

mr. thompson: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i rise today to recognize the 50th anniversary of the individuals with disabilities education act. idea. which mandated that every child with a disability in america should have access to a high-quality public education. when congress passed idea in 1975, it was a landmark step toward education alec which the. it open -- educational equity. it opened classroom doors to ensure every child with a disability could grow, learn and succeed in school. the legislation expanded opportunities for millions of students with disabilities, helping them reach their full potential. unfortunately before 1975, students with disabilities had long been denied access to public education. but idea transformed the public school experience for students with disabilities and their families. mr. speaker, we have an obligation to our students in this country. thaks to idea -- thanks to idea, our education system is working to serve the needs of every student in america. this important milestone shows how far we've come in educating

students with disabilities, and the legacy of this landmark and legislation means a brighter future for all. thank you, mr. speaker. and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from illinois seek recognition? without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. quigley: mr. speaker, i rise today to honor mr. sullivan of chicago. a veteran, a man of teeth faith and, -- deep faith, and above all, a devoted husband, father and grandfather. he served our country during the korean war where his compassion stood out. once building a false bottom delivery truck to secretly deliver bread to nuns at a nearby orphanage. daniel brought that same spirit to his family, his church and his community. a loyal chicagoan, and a proud chicago sports fan, nothing gave him more joy than the time he spent with his six

grandchildren. of his six grandchildren, i had the pleasure of working with kathryn flannery who interned in my washington, d.c., office. we remember and honor daniel sullivan, not just as a veteran, but as the kind of american we should all aspire to be. may his memory be a blessing and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the chair will receive a message. the messenger: mr. speaker, a message from the president of the united states. the secretary: mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: madam secretary. the secretary: i am directed by the president of the united states to deliver to the house of representatives a message in writing. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from tennessee seek recognition? >> thank you, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: does the gentleman seek recognition? >> i seek unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my

remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from tennessee is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, mr. speaker. gee, thank you, sir. i rise to honor the life and legacy of my dear friend and fellow east tennessean, charlie. he was a knoxville native and after high school he continued his education at the university of tennessee where he was a member of the sigma alpha fraternity. after his time at u.t., he served his country by joining the army and going to vietnam, being a decorated army ranger. mr. burchett: after his service he returned to knoxville to work for his father, founder of the thomas group advertising agency. charlie demonstrated grit and dedication to his advertising pioneered campaigns for many of the world's most recognizable brands. charlie also kick-started the process of establishing the school of advertising and public relations at our beloved university of tennessee in 2022. in addition to his successful

business venture, charlie was a great outdoorsman, holding records in marilyn, fly fishing, sail fishing and spear fish and loved to spend his spare time in the smoky mountains and the rivers of colorado. charlie was well known, all-american family man who passed in the presence of his loved ones after a long bat well leukemia. we love -- battle with leukemia. we love you and miss you, brother. thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentlelady from pennsylvania seek recognition? without objection, the gentlelady is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, mr. speaker. commanding our armed forces and safeguarding our national security requires exemplary honor, experience and loyalty to constitution. ms. dean: yet time and time again the president and his defense secretary have proven themselves unfit. they have ordered dozens of illegal strikes on alleged drug boats in the caribbean without congressional approval.

this week we've learned they likely committed war crimes by ordering a second strike targeting and killing survivors. at the same time president trump is pardoning criminals like juan oral hernandez, the former president of honduras who was convicted in a u.s. court for smuggling more than 500 tons of cocaine into our country and sentenced to 45 years. the president is also threatening violence against our very members of congress who simply reminded our military of their constitutional duty. not to fossil legal orders. most troubling, the president doesn't know how to lead and he doesn't care. mr. speaker, i implore my republican colleagues, ask yourselves, is the president serious about stopping the flow of fentanyl? no. he is deathly unserious. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from minnesota seek

recognition? without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to celebrate 25 years of minnesota agriculture and rural leadership program. mr. finstad: 25 years ago it was founded with the goal of developing skills of minnesota's agriculture and rural leaders, connecting them with educational resources to build their influence and effectiveness at local, state, national and international levels. in the year 2000, the first class was selected with the inaugural seminar held that november. today it is recognized throughout minnesota as the leading agriculture and rural leadership development program. the idea for marl was sparked by a two-year research and development project between southwest minnesota state university, university of minnesota extension, and the humphrey institute at the university of minnesota. since its creation, the marl program has continued to grow throughout the past 2 1/2 decades, with some of

minnesota's most well-respected leaders among its alumni. as a past board member of marl, i'm especially proud to recognize this outstanding program for its commitment to educating an training tomorrow's rural leaders for the past 25 years. i wish them many more years of success. thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from tennessee seek recognition? mr. cohen: to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. cohen: the united states peace institute was created by the congress of the united states. it's in a beautiful building that served a function of trying to bring people together. in february president trump issued an executive order dismantling the united states peace institute. subsequently law enforcement removed the president of the united states peace institute forcefully from his office and then the trump administration fired every employee and

dismantled the office. the district court has ruled and acted improperly because the congress created the u.s. peace institute and the president doesn't have the authority to dismantle it. today i've learned that president trump has had his name in massive letters put over the peace institute, calling it the donald j. trump peace institute. nothing which is legal. will his ego stop staining this city with putting his name and his picture all over, banners, con temp rareious or similar to teddy roosevelt at the department of labor and others. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from tennessee yields back. for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan seek recognition? mr. walberg: mr. speaker, pursuant to house resolution

916, i call up h.r. 1069 and ask for its immediate consideration in the house. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 8, h.r. 1069. a bill to prohibit the availability of federal education funds for elementary and secondary schools that received direct or indirect support from the government of the people's republic of china. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to house resolution 916, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the committee on education and workforce printed in the bill is adopted and the bill, as amended, is considered read. the bill, as amended, shall be debatable for one hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the minority committee on education and workforce or their respective designees. the gentleman from michigan, mrn from virginia, mr. scott, will each control 30 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from michigan. mr. walberg: thank you, mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent that all

members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to incertificate extraneous material -- insert extraneous material on h.r. 1069. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. walberg: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. walberg: i rise in strong support of h.r. 1069. american classrooms are becoming battle grounds for foreign influence. for years my colleagues and i have sounded the alarm about adversaries exploiting our education system. malign foreign entities like the chinese communist party are working to undermine american values, not just on college campuses, but across our k-12 schools as well. this is not only an attack on education and academic integrity, it is a threat to our national security. across u.s. colleges, the c.c.p.

established confucius institutes to push false narratives. whitewash history, and endear american students to the c.c.p. while obscuring its brutal human rights abuses. but this -- these propaganda operations didn't stop at higher education. in k-12 schools, confucius classrooms sprang up, aiming to shape the minds of our youngest learners. at a 2023 subcommittee on early alt a 2023 hearing defending education highlighted a report exposing nearly two decades of c.c.p. efforts to influence thousands of children. at one point more than 500 schools hosted confucius classrooms. many located on u.s. military bases. that is no coincidence.

those programs are a deliberate attempt to undermine american values and compromise our security. that's why i proudly support from representative kevin hern and representative kevin kiley. this legislation prohibits federal funds from going to any school that also accepts funding from the chinese communist party. it also sets a clear precedent. the u.s. will not allow a foreign regime to dictate what our children learn. when schools accept c.c.p. funding, they are effectively letting a totalitarian government decide their curriculum. in china students are taught only what the communist party allows. america must never cede that authority. confucius classrooms have never been resip probate kateed in

china -- reciprocated in china where exchanges on this scale are forbidden. the c.c.p. is not interested in genuine cultural exchange or open dialogue. its goal is indock continuation. teaching students that china is benevolent while the racing events like the tiananmen square massacre and ongoing the uyghur genocide and other human rights abuses. by accepting c.c.p. funding schools shield students from the truth because the party does not want them to know it. the protect act gives schools a clear choice, federal funds or c.c.p. funds. but not both. in the wake of years of learning loss and education decline, schools should focus on student achievement not spreading foreign propaganda. under the trump administration's

leadership, we are restoring focus to the education system, putting students first and protecting them from authoritarian influences. i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 1069, to protect students, job hold american values, and safeguard our national security. mr. speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan reserves. the the gentleman from virginia, mr. scott, is recognized. mr. scott: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. scott: and rise in opposition to h.r. 1069, the so-called protect our kids act. this would add a new stipulation that disqualifies public schools from receiving federal funds under the elementary and secondary education act if the school receives contributions, materials, or other resources from china or an individual or entity acting directly or indirectly on behalf of the government of the people's

republic of china. the bill gives no guidance on what acting directly or indirectly on behalf of means, or how you are supposed to know and how a parents' contribution to a school program should be evaluated. and really are you supposed to scrutinize all parents' contributions or just those from parents of chinese american students? h.r. 1069 would prohibit specifically prohibit federal funding for any school that has and operates the programs sponsored by the confucius institutes or confucius classrooms. although there may have been a lot of programs in the past, right now there may be as few as five confucius institutes in this country, serving k through 12 students. and the provisions of this bill will have to be administered not by those five school systems,

but every school district, 15,000 school districts will have to administer the provisions of this bill. as written, the bill would create significant administrative burdens to our schools and chill community investment in our children. for example the bill would disqualify school from receiving federal funds simply by accepting donation from a chinese immigrant if it turns out the immigrant is acting indirectly on behalf of the government of the people's republic of china. now, that is if you can find out. now, the bill bestows upon the secretary of education the sole discretion of deciding if an individual is acting indirectly on behalf of the chinese government, the very government department the trump administration is actively dismantling. without any additional funding or dedicated help, schools would have to become investigators and determine if an individual who wanted to donate to the school

or participate in parents' contributions to possibly be tied to the chinese government. justified fear of losing critical federal funds almost surely needs to eye well men meaning donations sceptically. note there is no limit to this level of funding. it doesn't say contribute shyness over $1,000 or $10,000. any contribution. it must be said there is no credible evidence to support the claims that china is exerting any inappropriate or undue influence over america's k through 12 public schools, even the report from the group, parents defending education, which makes these allegations, offers speculation rather than verified -- verifiable incidents or actual influence. if -- even if we are able to verify the china poses a credible threat to our k through 12 schools, this bill as written

does nothing to address any national security threats. instead, it seeks to punish schools for accepting the educational materials or participating in cultural exchange programs. actually, our schools would be the victims of the undue foreign influence. instead of deterring the bad actors, the bill seeks to punish the victim and in effect punish our students. it was poorly written, poorly tailoredder, and counterproductive, and not a that's righted national security measure. similar to h.r. 1005, 1049 which we considered yesterday, h.r. 1069 if asked would force school districts already facing shortages of teachers and counselors and support staff to divert critical time and resources from instructions to completing bureaucratic paperwork. this is the very definition of

an unfunded mandate, imposes obligations on 15,000 school systems without offering any capacity of funding to meet that obligation. lastly, we have to note that the trump administration is abo abolishing, in the process of trying to abolish the department of education. with key responsibilities being shifted to other agencies we are left with a chaotic patchwork of authority, and no one apparently left to administer the provisions of this bill. for those reasons, mr. speaker, i recommend a no vote on the bill. and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from virginia reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: mr. speaker, i am pleased to yield four minutes to the gentleman from oklahoma, mre bill sponsor, as well as chair of the republican policy committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from oklahoma is recognized for four minutes.

mr. hern: i rise in support of my bill, the protect our kids act, i urge my colleagues, both republican and democrat, to support this bill. through the belt and wrote initiative the chinese communist party has been spreading its malign influence for over a decade. this initiative has one goal, to increase china's economic and political dominance over the united states and world. deguysed as harmless global infrastructure, transportation, and production networks, this global campaign is anything but harmless. education is one of the primary targets of the belt and road initiative, they are succeeding in their nation to indoctrinate american students with their communist ideals. chinese state media has even dragged about -- bragged about the success of confucius institutes and other initiatives on spreading the c.c.p.'s influence. this doesn't stop our college campuses. right now china is invading our k through 12 schools through confucius classrooms. over the last decade or more the c.c.p. has infiltrated our

public education system, setting up chinese language and cultural programs and primary and secondary schools. similarly, to the confucius institute, modeled at our universities, china rapidly expanded these programs to over 1,000 established worldwide by 2017. over 500 which were in the united states. in exchange, their contracts allow china to staff those looms, pro provide curriculum, d require teachers to sign contracts ensuring they do not damage the national interest of china. make no mistake, this is not out of the kindness of their hearts. the c.c.p. is not interested in helping american students learn mandarin. they want to brainwash our children plain and simple. since 2013 the authoritarian government of the people's republic of china has sent curriculum and p.r.c.-trained teachers into hundreds of k through 12 schools across america as an unofficial component of its global influence campaign. certain over the threat posed by

confucius classrooms is not new. in 2020 secretaries devos and pompeo sent a letter to state education commissioners outlining their concern with these types of programs and urging schools to consider the threat they may pose to academic freedom. the state department found that approval from the p.r.c.'s minister of education is required when filling teaching positions associated with confucius classrooms. concerns over the threat posed by confucius classrooms is not always exclusive to the united states. in australia, the new south wails department of education -- wales department of education ended the confucius classrooms in public schools due to concerns of propaganda. replacing programs with chinese language programs funded and managed by australians. similarly in 2019, the canadian province, new brunswick, instituted removal of the programs from elementary school. once again due to the threat of chinese propaganda. the c.c.p. has committed

countless violations of human rights and its authoritarian agenda is antithetical to the democratic principles our country was found on. chinese propaganda has no place in our education system. we have taken important steps toward mitigating chinese influence at our american universities by cracking down on confucius institutes. now that the chinese government has directed our attention toward elementary and secondary schools, it's time we do the same and protect our children from the maligned influence of the c.c.p. the protect our kids act would prohibit federal funding for any elementary and second school that host as confucius classroom. schools will be notified of these requirements and given guidance for how to comply. to be clear, this legislation is only concerned with programs funded or supported by the c.c.p. language programs in schools that do not partner with the c.c.p. are not threatened by this legislation. the only objective is to prevent c.c.p. propaganda being taught to our kids.

this should not be controversial. i'll say it again, protecting our kids from propaganda should not be controversial. i urge a yes vote on this slayings. i -- legislation. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from yields back. the gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentleman from virginia is recognized mr. scott: mr. speaker, i yield what time she may consume to the gentlelady from georgia, mrs. mcbath. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from georgia is recognized. mrs. mcbath: thank you, mr. speaker. thank you to the ranking member of the education and workforce. i just have to say today we are here considering a bill that's named the protect our kids act, so i'm going to speak and shift this conversation a little bit in the direction i think we really need to be going. this bill, protect our kids act, does absolutely nothing to protect our kids. just five days after three children and a 21-year-old were shot and killed in a mass shooting at a birthday party in

stockton, california, as a level of tone deafness that i don't think i have seen during my seven years here in washington. there are four families that are burying their children this week. four families that are burying their kids just like hi to when my son, jordan, was murdered simply for playing loud music in his car. 8-year-old journey rose, 9-year-old maya, and 14-year-old amar'e peterson will never get the experience that they deserve or the promise that this country offers. they will never get that chance. all because they went to a birthday party, and this congress refuses to do anything about it time and time again. i don't know how many times i have to stand here on this floor to debate, to talk about the numbers of children and people

that are dying in this country, and we call this bill protect our kids act? does absolutely nothing. you are deflecting over and over and over again against the real crimes against our children. but you want to bring this bill to the floor today that will do absolutely nothing to protect our children. the real way to protect skids to keep them safe -- protect kids is to keep them safe from unnecessary gun visa lens. that's what we should be doing -- unnecessary gun violence. that's what we should be doing with this time. but this republican, my republican colleagues refuse to talk anything about protecting children from unnecessary gun violence. and over and over again i cannot tell you how many times i am meeting families every single day. i get alerts from my staff every single day of every mass murder, of every tragedy in this country. and it is overwhelming. so excuse me if we're going to sit here and talk about protect our kids, if you're really

willing to do that, then you bring up gun violence prevention legislation. you bring up policy that really does the very thing that you are pretending through this bill to protect our children. there is no greater threat to our kids in school, no greater threat to them at chump, at their birthday -- church, at their birthday parties or any other private or public space across this country than gun violence. the bipartisan safer communities act, that was a very important step that we took. we did really good work, not just for democratic children, but for republican children as well. but we must do more to keep our children safe. shootings are the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in this country and, yes, my republican colleagues, you have children and families that are dying by gun violence every single day just like us here in the democratic party. but you would never know that from this bill or when we're

listening to you, our republican colleagues. but for people like me, for people who have buried their son or their loved one or daughter or big sister or their little brother, before their time, we know really what's at stake. we cannot continue to play this game over and over and over again, fooling the american people and telling them that we're protecting their interests, protecting their families, protecting their children with pieces of legislation like this that absolutely do nothing to protect our children. we know this cannot wait. and i'm just so sick and tired of the tone deafness of every time we get here on the floor and you want to put forth a piece of legislation that fools the american people into believing that we're really working on their interests, on their behalf, but really it's not doing that at all. we know that the longer we do

nothing, the more likely it is for someone else to have their family torn apart like i have. for someone else to attend a wake or a funeral instead of a wedding or a graduation ceremony. it doesn't have to be this way. i just -- if you want to say celebrated the 12th anniversary of my son's murder, so if you want to talk about protecting our kids, let's really do that. not this facade. columbine, newtown, las vegas, uvalde, louiston, stockton, your home does not have to be next. but trust me, my colleagues, every single one of us in this body has people that are dying every single day in our constituencies. we should be using this time to really protect our kids, not just act like we're protecting

them while this republican congress does nothing about these tragedies at all. i encourage all of my colleagues to oppose this bill and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: jeeltds back. the gentleman from -- the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from virginia reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: thank you, mr. speaker. and to my friend and colleague, i want and i think she knows, i certainly share her grief and cannot fathom the grief, especially during the past 12 years of the loss of her son. protecting kids is a multifaceted, multifaceted process. we're talking about just one aspect. in our school systems today. that does not mean we disregard. we may have different approaches but i certainly want my friend to know we hear her and i guess i'll leave it there at that point. i now am pleased -- somebody get

me another -- this thing won't hold. i'm pleased to yield two minutes to the gentleman from california, mr. kiley, who is the bill's co-lead, as well as chair of the subcommittee on early childhood, elementary and secondary education. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized for two minutes. mr. kiley: mr. speaker, i introduced h.r. 1069, the promoting responsible oversight to eliminate communist teaching for our kids act in order to protect our kids and to protect our country. the chinese communist party is responsible for severe human rights abuses and the suppression of fundamental freedoms. with a long and well-documented history of sensor p she, oppression -- censorship, oppression and disregard for human rights. but it is equally well understood that the c.c.p. aggressively pushes its propaganda worldwide to reshape world global narratives in its favor. that effort has extended into

virtually every facet of american society, including unfortunately american classrooms. findings from the state department have revealed that c.c.p.-funded so called confucius classrooms have operated in over 500k-12 schools across the united states. now, these programs, they're not about education. they're about influence. the c.c.p. does not act with charitable intent. these programs exist because the c.c.p. expects something in return. control over curriculum, and influence over young minds. it is unacceptable that american school districts have entered into financial arrangements with entities tied to the c.c.p. an adversary of the united states and a regime with one of the worst human rights records in the world. the simple premise of this legislation is that no federal tax dollars should support schools that partner with the chinese communist party. the protect our kids act puts

that principle into law by ensuring the federal education funds are not available to schools that collaborate with, receive funds from, or otherwise -- funding from, or otherwise engage in agreements with the people's republic of china. this includes partnership with confucius classrooms, language programs and personnel tied to the chinese government. american education should teach american values, not from communist propaganda. i urge my colleagues to support this bill and take a firm stand against foreign influence in our children's education. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. scott: mr. speaker, i'm prepared to close. i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: mr. speaker, i'm pleased to yield two minutes to the gentleman from utah, mr. owens, who is vice chair of the workforce committee on the education and workforce committee. he's vice chair of the

subcommittee on higher education, and workforce development, mr. owens. the speaker pro tempore: and super bowl championship member from utah is recognized. m mr. owens: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in support of this bill. far for too long american education has been undermined from within by actors who have taken advantage of our free and open society to advance nefarious and antry freedom objectives of the chinese communist party under the veneer of cultural exchange, the c.c.p. and its operatives have restricted free speech, monitored chinese students and faculty, and served as intelligence gathering conduits on emerging american technologies. these soft power tactics are part of a broader strategy to influence our very institutions responsible for shaping the next generation of american patriots. these subversive efforts are not limited to our universities. the c.c.p. has reached even into

elementary classrooms, cultivating favorable attitudes toward the chinese communist party among our young students. with passage of the protect our kids act, schools that refuse confront this reality will no longer be eligible for federal funds. full stop. the message is straightforward and simple. to educators, education administrators who don't understand the concept of american patriotism. this behavior will not be tolerated and no longer subs subsidized by the american taxpayer. under this republican majority, and this trump administration, american education will be protected and renewed. our classrooms will be returned to their rightful purpose, teaching and preserving our great american values. thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. scott: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: i thank the speaker. i now am pleased to yield two

minutes to the gentlewoman from california, representative kim, chair of the subcommittee on east asia and the pacific, and the house foreign affairs committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from california is recognized for two minutes. mrs. kim: thank you. thank you, speaker. i rise today in strong support of h.r. 1069, the protect our kids act. the chinese communist party is executing the most sophisticated global influence campaign of our time. they're not just targeting our military or u.s. companies, they are targeting our children. one of the c.c.p.'s key tools is the confucius classroom program. these programs are funded, staffed and overseen by the chinese government, giving them direct influence over curriculum, teaching materials, and the content presented to american children. we cannot allow an authoritarian

regem that sensors -- regime that sensors information, re-- censors information, rewrites history and silences dissent to have any role in american education. our classrooms must remain places of learning, not foreign influence. the protect our kids act sets a simple but necessary safeguard. if a school chooses to host a c.c.p.-funded confucius program, it should not receive federal taxpayer dollars. simple as that. this bill upholds academic integrity, protects parents' rights over their child's schooling, counters communist propaganda, and strengthens our national security. the c.c.p. is playing the long game. influencing minds early and often. we must meet this challenge head-on.

so i urge my colleagues to support this bill and stand firm against foreign indoctrination in america's schools. thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. scott: thank you, mr. speaker. how much time do i have? the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman has 19 minutes. scott cot thank you. i -- mr. scott: thank you. i yield myself the balance of the time. mr. speaker, when you hear the title protect our kids act, you wonder what this bill is all about. you might think protect our kids from guns, protect kids from bullying, protect kids maybe from online predators. but no. this is from foreign influence from china. there's no credible evidence of any improper influence in k-12 schools, yet this is what the bill is about. it imposes sweeping penalties that do nothing to enhance

national security, only harms students. the apparent target of this legislation seems to be the maybe five school districts that have confucius institute programs, but it applies the provisions of the bill to 15,000 school systems in america. all of this unfolds while the trump administration works to dismantle the department of education, leaving critical responsibilities scattered throughout agencies this. bill wastes critical resources -- agencies. this bill wastes critical resources without any apparent benefit and therefore i urge my colleagues to oppose the bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from virginia yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from michigan is recognized. mr. walberg: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. walberg: h.r. 1069, the protect act, makes clear that schools receiving funding from

the chinese communist party will not receive federal dollars. for too long schools have turned a blind eye to the c.c.p.'s demands for fear of losing cc.c.p.-- losing c.c.p. money. but every dollar came with strings attached, lessons glorifying tyranny, rewriting history, and indoctrinating students instead of teaching american values. even more concerning, many of these schools were near u.s. military bases, raising risks of monitoring and surveillance of personnel. this is unacceptable. to protect our students and our national security, we must pass the protect act. it helps prevent foreign adversaries from exploiting our classrooms and promotes education grounded in truth, freedom and american values. mr. speaker, i urge my

colleagues to support the legislation and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan yields back the balance of his time. all time for debate has expired. pursuant to house resolution 916, the previous question is ordered on the bill, as amended. the question is on engrossment adder third reading -- and third reading of the bill. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. third reading. the clerk: a bill to prohibit the availability of federal education funds for elementary and secondary schools that receive direct or indirect support from the government of the people's republic of china. the speaker pro tempore: the question is on passage of the bill. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. those opposed, no, the ayes have it. for what purpose does the gentleman from virginia seek recognition? mr. scott: i ask for the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested.

those in favor of the yeas and nays will rise. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. members will record their votes by electronic device. purr h.r. pursuant to clause 9 of rule 20, this is a 15-minute vote on passage of h.r. 1069. this is a 15-minute vote. and will be followed by a five-minute vote on passage of h.r. 1049. this first vote is a 15-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

of taking advantage of our free and open society to advance nefarious and anti-freedom objectives of the communist chinese communist party. under the veneer of cultural education exchange, the ccp as operatives have restricted free speech monitor chinese students and faculty, and served as intelligence gathering conduits on emerging american technologies. the soft power tactics are part

of a broader strategy to cultivate networks of communist influence within our very institutions possible for shaping the next generation of american patriots. these subversive efforts are not limited to our universities. the ccp has reached even into our military classrooms, cultivating favorable attitudes towards the chinese communist party among our young students. with passage of the protection our protect our kids act, schools that refuse to confront this reality will no longer be eligible for federal funds. full stop. the message is straightforward and simple to education educators. education administrators who don't understand the concept of american patriotism. this behavior will not be tolerated and no longer subsidized by the american taxpayer. under this republican majority and the trump administration, american education will be protected and renewed. all classrooms will return to their rightful purpose teaching, preserving our great american values.

thank you. and are you back? coming years back, gentleman from michigan reserves. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. i reserve gentleman. reserve gentleman from michigan is recognized. i thank the speaker. i know. i'm pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from california, representative kim, chair of the subcommittee on east asia and the pacific and the house foreign affairs committee. gentlelady from california is recognized for 2 minutes. thank you. thank you. speaker. i rise today in strong support of h.r. 1069, the protect our kids act. the chinese communist party is executing the most sophisticated. and the nays are 164.nays the bill is passed. without objection, a motion to reconsider is laid on the table. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20,

the unfinished business is the vote on passage of h.r. 1409 on which the -- 1049 on which the yeas and nays are ordered. the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 7. h.r. 1049. a bill to ensure that parents are aware of foreign influence in their child's public school and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: the question is on passage of the bill. members will record their votes by electronic device. this is a five-minute vote. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.]

are 164. the copy of a letter received from mr. mark goins, the coordinator of elections with the tennessee office of the secretary of state, indicating that, according to the unofficial results for the special general election held on december 2nd, 2025, the honorable mac ben epps was elected representative to congress for the seventh congressional district of tennessee. signed sincerely, kevin f mccumber, clerk for what purposes? the gentleman from tennessee seek recognition. the speaker of the tennessee ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from tennessee, the honorable matt van epps, be permitted to take the oath of office today, his certificate of election. as i understand it, has not yet arrived. but there's no contest and no question has been raised with regard to his election. without objection. well, representative elect van epps and the members of the tennessee delegation present themselves in the well.

we ask all members to rise and the representative elect will raise his right hand. do you solemnly swear that you will support and defend the constitution of the united states against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that you take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which you are about to enter. so help you god. thank you. congratulation, as you're now a member of the 119th congress. without objection, the gentleman from tennessee is recognized for one minute. mr. desjarlais. mr. speaker. i stand here today with our

republican colleagues, including mr. fleischmann, who joins me as the deans of our republican delegation, to welcome our new colleague to the house, matt van epps brings great personal story to us here in the congress. is a west point graduate, a lieutenant colonel, and has a distinguished record of combat service as a helicopter pilot and mission commander. he is a proven leader with government experience as a member of governor billy's cabinet, serving as the commissioner of the department of general services for the state of tennessee. managing the day to day operations. but just about every aspect of tennessee state government. but most importantly is a husband and a father. titles much more important than the one you will soon have is congressman. we are also happy that meg and amelia are here, as well as so many other family and friends joining him on this momentous occasion.

matt has lived his life to the values of duty, honor and country, and i know that he will carry those values into the congress. we are excited to have him working with us. and i know so many of you in this chamber on both sides of the aisle will also appreciate enjoy serving with him as well. but matt, let me quickly interject here. this institution is built on debate and as every member in this chamber can tell you, we don't always agree on things. so, matt, let me give you your first chance at providing a rebuttal. as the father of a naval academy graduate, we have a pretty important game coming up. so i'll simply say go navy beat army. i now welcome and yield to the gentleman from tennessee, seventh congressional district congressman matt van epps for his response. thank you.

thank you. thank you. thank you, mr. speaker. i stand here today humbled by the trust the people of tennessee's seventh district have placed in me. i come to this distinguished body as a christian, a husband and a father and an army. special operations helicopter pilot with nine combat tours who have seen firsthand what makes this nation exceptional. america's strength comes from our enduring belief that freedom is worth fighting for. and from our commitment to protect and empower the hardworking families who make the american dream possible. my commitment is simple lower prices for tennesseans bring down health care costs, protect communities and restore american energy independence and economic strength. i will work every day with president trump and my colleagues in this house to deliver on the america first agenda. our constituents are looking for

results. the people of tennessee didn't send me here to just give a speech. they sent me here to deliver. and that is exactly what i intend to do. and today, we make history as this is the first time a west point graduate will succeed another west point graduate for the exact same congressional seat. so, respectfully, sir, go army beat navy. thank you. and i yield back. seven and the nays, 166. the bill is passed without without objection, the motion to reconsider is stable. the the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table.

the house will be in order. the house will be in order. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? mr. haridopolos: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that when the house adjourns today it adjourn to meet at 11 a.m. tomorrow. and further, when the house adjourns that day it adjourns to meet on tuesday, december 9, 2025, for morning debate. and 2 p.m. for legislative business. the speaker pro tempore: without objection.

the speaker pro tempore: the house will be in order. the chair lays before the house a message. the clerk: to the congress of the united states, consistent with section 108 of the national security act of 1947, as amended, 50 united states code 3043, i have enclosed the national security strategy of the united states of america. this national security strategy sets forth of guidance and direction for my administration's foreign policy and details the goals and objectives that will deliver a new golden age for america. signed, sincerely, donald j. trump, the white house. december 2, 2025. many.

the speaker pro tempore: referred to the committee on armed services.

the speaker pro tempore: the house will come to order. the chair will now entertain requests for one-minute speeches. for what purpose does the gentleman from indiana seek recognition? >> i seek unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from indiana is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise to congratulate the indiana high school athletic association 3-a football state champions, the cascade cadets. the cascade high school football team triumphed over fort wayne, and with a 29-14 victory,

securing the first football championship in the school's history. these outstanding athletes played the hardest at lucas oil stadium on friday. the cascade cadets secured a commanding lead in the first quarter and remained dominant throughout the game. mr. baird: ultimately emerging victorious. i want to congratulate these outstanding student-athletes in winning state championship. fitting the way to the end their perfect season. the students on cascade's football team should be extraordinarily proud of their tireless efforts and dedication. i know this win means so much to everyone in the clayton community who has been cheering them on to victory. congratulations again to the cascade cadets on this historic championship. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from north carolina seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from north carolina is recognized for

one minute. mr. davis: mr. speaker, our farmers are the heart and soul of eastern north carolina. they wake up before the sun rises. working hard to put food on the tables across this country. and to keep our local economy strong. but right now they are facing real and growing pressure. tariffs are hitting many of our farmers hard. costs are climbing. markets are shifting. and it's getting harder and harder for them to make ends meet. it's as if they are fighting with one hand tied behind their backs and they can't keep taking it under the chin. we can't sit back and watch our farms, families who feed this country to get pushed to the brink. their livelihoods are hanging in the balance, and they deserve more than words. they deserve action. we need fair, balanced trade policies that strengthen our

agricultural community so our farmers can thrive and not just survive. we must not sit back, but that means we need tariff relief assistance so our farmers can stay open, and our rural economy can be strong. our farmers have always had our backs. we must have their backs. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from indiana seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from indiana is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, mr. speaker. while i'm happy to say that indiana's one of the most affordable states for home ownership in the country, i know the dream of owning a home is still far off for many hoosiers. mr. stutzman: we have a serious housing shortage in this country a key reason for this outdated and -- a key reason for this is

outdated and obstructive government regulation that is prevent and delay new construction. that's why i introduced the bipartisan streamlining rural housing act. this bill would require h.u.d. and usda to develop a joint environmental review process for rural housing projects, cutting red tape and raking rural -- making rural housing easier to build f we are here to help more americans achieve the dream of home othership, we must take it easier to build new homes. that means getting government out of the way and allowing developers to build faster and at a lower cost. i look forward to continuing i look forward to continuing my work to make homes affordable for hoosiers and to address the housing shortage in this country. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california seek recognition? without objection, the gentlewoman from california is recognized for one minute.

>> mr. speaker, on october 7, my constituent, i vicente, was snatched off the street by federal immigration agents. ms. kamlager-dove: according to a friend who was detained alongside him, he was last seen on october 8 when he suffered a medical emergency and was separated from the group to receive care. today he is nowhere to be found. he has been missing for eight weeks. homeland security claims he was never in their custody, despite multiple credible eyewitnesses who say otherwise. mr. speaker, vicente has lived in the united states for 17 years. he is not a criminal. he has a family that loves him and is now desperately searching for answers about his well-being and whereabouts. we should not have to chase down homeland security, call hospitals or even the morgue just to get them. this is not about immigration status, this is about humanity. and the united states cannot simply disappear people. if this can happen to vicente, it can happen to anyone who calls this nation home. i demand answers on vicente's

disappearances and i will not stop until i get them. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from iowa seek recognition? without objection, the gentleman from iowa is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise today in recognition of a lifetime of service and leadership in that of one terry e. bran steady, iowa's longest serving governor and america's ambassador to china. mr. nunn: he was born in iowa where he lived the value that defined the state of iowa. hardworking, faith and service before self. he carried those values from the fields of northern iowa to the halls of government are we helped shape a legacy that touched every corner of our state and every corner of that state he knows a story about an iowa family and how he helped them. when terry first entered public

service, he brought a deep sense of purpose. as a young candidate for governor, he was known for running to the stage, his predecessor said, that's not very governor-like, but it was vveteri brantsted-like. he went on tock about the longest serving governor in history. he served as u.s. ambassador to china, advocating for human rights and strengthening america's agriculture. i had the honor of a lifetime of entering for intsh interning for him in 1995. his example of integrity, discipline and humility is shaping who i am today. we're both drake grads, military members, veterans and we're committed to serving iowa. governor and his wonderful wife are more than just mentors, they're friends to every iowan. he's a leader who helped build our state and we are proud to call it home. ambassador, governor, congratulations on this year's iowa award. you more than earned it. mr. speaker, i yield my time. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from illinois seek recognition?

without objection, the gentleman from illinois is recognized for one minute. >> i rise this morning to honor the life of jordan ball, a galesburg seventh grade history teacher and basketball coach. a former monmouth roseville high school teacher and a proud graduate of monmouth college. on monday he was involved in a bad car accident and he lost his life at just 26 years old. jordan leaves a loving wife, alex, and young son, atticus. his wife is also pregnant with their next child who will be born with a guardian angel for a father. mr. sorensen: i know how hard this has been for everyone in the tight knit communities. his students revered him as a leader, and we should all move forward today with his legacy of working together as a team to achieve great things.

western illinois is better off today because jordan ball was there. may his memory live on with his students, his family, his community and our nation. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan seek recognition? >> to address the house for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman the gentleman from michigan is recognized -- the gentleman from michigan is recognize for one minute -- is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to recognize t the maroons football team. they proudly represented michigan's first congressional district in the upper peninsula by winning the michigan division seven state championship. mr. bergman: capping off a 14-0 season. this wasn't luck, this was discipline, toughness and outright superiority. what makes this championship even more special is how the u.p. made it possible. with just days to prepare for the long trip to ford field, they suddenly needed tens of

thousands of dollars for buses, lodging and meals. our eupers stepped up -- upers stepped up, raising money, with the entire community pulling together because they believed in this team. coach brant restored u.p. power to michigan high school football. bringing home the first state title to the upper peninsula since 2015. as coach said, we couldn't be here without our community and our town. it is with great pride that i recognize the menomonee maroons for bringing state championship back to the u.p. undefeated state champions, a true source of pride for our entire uper community. congratulations, maroons. well done. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlemann from new york seek recognition? without objection, the gentleman from new york will be recognized for one minute. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to bring attention

to the anti-education agenda of the trump administration. mr. latimer: the rise committee is offering a proposal to downgrade the professional status of various careers that they think after many years don't deserve academic stature and access to vital funding, nursing, physical therapy, audio yolg, architecture and social work. this assessment comes from the leader of the department of education, who has no advanced degree in education, but does know a lot about pro wrestling. i was the chief executive officer of a government of over one million people with a $2.5 billion budget and 4,200 employees. the secretaries and committees can their rise all they want. but i needed professional, well-trained and certified nurses, social workers and the like to deliver real-world services to real people in the day to day management of a large county. let's stop the ideological foolishness. place this proposal to downgrade careers where it belongs, in the department of garbage and sanitation. let's get back to grown-up,

serious government that understands the problems in america and addresses those problems. thank you, mr. speaker. and i yield. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from missouri seek recognition? without objection, the gentleman from missouri will be recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to honor the life and the legacy of kathleen atencio, a beloved wife and mother who passed away peacefully at her home after her courageous fight with brain cancer. born and raised in ridley park, pennsylvania, kathleen lived a life defined by her service and dedication to her faith, family and friends. mr. burlison: her family knew her as someone who was extraordinarily accomplished, humble and intelligent. she lived her life by the quote often attributed to maya angelou. people will forget what you said, people will forget you what did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

everybody who was part of kathy's life, family and friends was made a better person by her. kathy had a gift for making others feel seen, supported and loved. whether you offering a prayer, a home-cooked meal or a steady voice of encouragement. she made people better simply by being in their lives. a rich life and a storied legacy, kathy leaves behind her husband, joe, and her children, audrey and august. may she rest in peace. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from vermont seek recognition? without objection, the gentlewoman from vermont will be recognized for one minute. ms. balint: thank you, mr. speaker. the uniform code of military justice is clear. it requires service members to

obey lawful orders and to refuse illegal orders. you can't order a service member to commit a crime. it's that simple. and if you are a service member, you can't follow an order that requires you to commit a crime. recently my democratic colleagues merely reminded our service members of their lawful duty. the president's reaction, he said that these democratic members of congress were traitors and should be hanged. fast forward to last week when we learned that secretary pete hegseth ordered the illegal killing of defenseless survivors of an attack on a boat in the caribbean. this, this is what our colleagues was warning about. secretary hegseth and anyone else who commits war crimes must be held accountable. secretary hegseth has to go. i yield back.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from georgia seek recognition? mr. carter: i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from georgia will be recognized for one minute. mr. carter: mr. speaker, i rise today to recognize the national museum of the mighty eighth air force which was named best museum in georgia in the 2025 best of georgia awards. this honor reflects the museum's significance as a leading institution of historical education in our state. the museum preserves the legacy of the mighty eighth air force, it teaches the history of world war ii aviation, through exhibits, artifacts and educational programming. visitors can explore restored aircraft and walk through ims mive spacer -- immersive spaces that allow them to connect with the people who served. many lead with a deeper appreciation for sacrifice, for

duty, and the responsibility we all share to remember their stories. i'm proud for keeping this history live and accessible. i congratulate the museum which holds a special place for me as it was established during my time as mayor. in fact, it was the first speech i gave as mayor of the city. and i enthu thank the staff, the veterans and volunteers for their important work. thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from virginia seek recognition? without objection, the gentleman from virginia will be recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, it is my honor to recognize chief brian leighton on his retirement from the police department after three decades of service. mr. vindman: the chief has served in the department since 1994 and as chief since january, 2020. he has strengthened the department recruitment and

retention, modernized their operations and is expected to soon achieve national accreditation for the city's emergency 911 center. the role the chief has played in public safety is invaluable. on behalf of the city of fredericksburg and its residents, i extend the deepest gratitude to the chief for his unwavering service and dedication. his impact on our community will be felt for years to come. chief, i am honored to congratulate you on this well-earned moment and recognize you as this week's constituent of the week. i wish you a restful retirement and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from colorado seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from colorado will be recognized for one minute. >> thank you 5:00 mr. speaker. i rise today to celebrate the upcoming 70th annual tracking of

santa claus by the north american aerospace defense command at peterson space force base in my district in colorado springs. mr. crank: originally tracked by the continental air defense command, which is now known as norad, the command tracks santa on his sleigh, pulled by nine reindeer, including their leader, rudolph. as he travels around the world to give gifts to all the children on santa's nice list. now, i encourage every family to track santa on the norad track santa website this upcoming christmas eve, and to keep a watchful eye on the skies for santa as he passes overhead, bearing gifts for all of those good kids, and to all the children, mr. speaker, even some who may serve in congress, i would say, it is an exciting time of the year. mr. speaker, look up in the sky on christmas eve and track santa on the norad tracks santa

website, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from rhode island seek recognition? mr. amo: i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from rhode island is recognized for one minute. mr. amo: mr. speaker, i rise today to recognize the contributions of rhode island manufacturers association executive director david. david is retiring after more than a decade leading our state's leading manufacturing organization. for more than 40 years, david has worked tirelessly to strengthen rhode island's manufacturing sector. and he hasn't just been the president. he's been a member. david built a successful company providing precision components for multiple markets. during his tenure, he championed workforce development through the expansion of career and

technical education for our students and helped countless small businesses transition to the future. at the height of covid, he helped the rhode island department of business education to create the pledge program to deliver personal protective equipment to manufacturers so they could remain open and operate safely. david's hard work and strategic vision leave a legacy of growth for an essential part of rhode island's economy. our manufacturing strength. we thank you for your efforts, david. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from utah seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. owens: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to recognize ms. vena black. and albert einstein distinguished educator fellow, an elementary school teacher for 20 years and personal friend. who served our office with

exceptional commitment this last year. she was selected among a highly competitive group of pierce to come to washington to better understand the legislative process and improve stem education in the united states. for years she stepped away from her classroom and beloved students but also devoted wife and exceptional mother, also left behind her husband and two children. her position and passion for stem education in her students was unmistakable and contagious. her kindness and times she gave, enriched our team. she was a dependable, welcoming smile. her time in office was a path to memorable understanding of what it means to be a teacher today. i relied on her insight. and as an award winning educator and hard-earned classroom experience directly shaped our education policy and work. giving us a clear understanding

of how federal decisions truly affect teachers and students. while we dearly miss mrs. black in our office, i'm grateful she's returned to the place where her impact is greatest and most needed. in the classroom. i thank you, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new jersey seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from new jersey is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise today to wish a happy retirement to so many of our house republican colleagues who are leaving in a mass exodus with more departures to come, according to jake sherman. mr. menendez: that's despite all the accomplishments republicans have tried to sell to the american people. let's recap what they have done this year alone. they cut $1 trillion from medicaid and the a.c.a., putting affordable health care out of

reach for millions of americans. they passed the largest cut to snap in history, leaving families across the country with less access to food. they have stayed silent while i.c.e. terrorizes our communities, causing irreparable damage, and even detaining u.s. citizens. so instead of running for re-election on their disastrous record, they are choosing to walk away. and house democrats? house democrats are ready to take on these challenges and fight for all americans. we are ready to make our country more affordable, to fix our broken immigration system, and to deliver a government that works for the people. and that exactly what we will do when we take back the majority next congress, if not sooner. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california, for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? mr. lamalfa: seek unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from

california is recognized for one minute. mr. lamalfa: thank you, mr. speaker. here it is, the word affordability. it's become a cute buzzword because last four years of the biden administration and my home state of california so many things have caused things to become unaffordable. so the idea will be to paper over with borrowed money in this place when really if we attack the core issues that make things unaffordable that cause inflation, cause inability to start business in my home state and this country, energy costs, ok. electricity and fuel, nuclear weapons my home state in northern california we have the highest electricity everywhere as we see the rest of the country, due to trump's policies coming in, fuel prices are coming down. in my home state of california where they are going to shut down i hear three refineries now, we can't keep a pipeline full, and they have a new fuel standard that makes more carbon have to be taken out of the fuel, we'll see, according to a

u.s.c. study, perhaps $8.5 fuel in california. yeah. there is affordability for you right there driven by democrat policies, by regulations as well. provely cat government spending. $2 trillion deficits every year. when it sucks all the money out of the room of other people needing to borrow and spend when the government is spending all the money handing out $2,000 checks and $600 checks. it's borrowed money. there is no credit. as well as the burdensome regulations. weaponizing nepa. weaponizing the clean air tract. weaponizing dangerous species act. all well intentional when they were passed. they have been weaponized to stop projects, stop people from doing things. that's what's causing affordability to be unafor thible. these regulations and costs driven by more government. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from maryland seek recognition? mrs. mcclain delaney: i ask unanimous consent to address the

house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman from maryland is recognized for one minute. miss clark: -- miss cleric: i -- mrs. mcclain delaney: mountain was hit by devastating floods last may. in fact, 200 elementary students and teachers were evacuate interested their classrooms by boat. in over heights of water over 12 feet. when this disaster hit maryland, emergency alerts and warnings were essential to fast and safe recovery. and i commend the effective and explenary service of our first responders. however, what didn't come quickly was the federal aid that my constituents needed most. today i am introducing two bills to reinforce strong, reliable disaster response and recovery efforts. first, the emergency grant fairness act. which will ensure that local public broadcasters have the resources they need to reach everyone at risk during a

disaster. second, a bipartisan rural recovery act, which would guarantee that usda rural development technical assistance is automat click -- automatic to help communities recover from a disaster. from mountain maryland to every corner throughout america, we should leave no community stranded in an emergency. i ask my colleagues to join me in support of these bills. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from north carolina seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house. revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from north carolina shall be recognized for one minute. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to recognize cleveland community college on the anniversary of its founding. mr. moore: since july 1, 1965, when fewer than 40 students gathered in two rented buildings, cleveland community college has grown into a cornerstone of progress and opportunity for cleveland county and our region.

cleveland community college has always risen to meet the needs of our community, training returning veterans in its earliest days, and now preparing students for careers in advanced manufacturing, health care, and others. thanks to strong leadership from the founding president, and the current president, and the presidents in between those years, the college now boasts state offart centers for technology, emergency services, allied health, and workforce development, along with strong partnerships with local schools and businesses. today it stands as one of north carolina's highest performing community colleges. in fact, one of the most high performing community colleges in the country. congratulations again to cleveland community college on their 60th anniversary. with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition? >> i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from new york will be is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise to

condemn the excessive violence that we are seeing from federal immigration agents on the streets of chicago, new york, new orleans, and all across the country. mr. goldman: donald trump's militarized secret i.c.e. agents are creating fear and terror around our country. their lawless behavior has no place in our democracy. and i am proud to lead democrats in fighting back. that's why i introduced the no secret police act. to get rid of masks. to require agents to show identification. to hold i.c.e. accountable. soviet-style secret police have no place in the america i know and love. according to i.c.e.'s own data, 70% of immigrants arrested have no criminal history whatsoever. and just 5% have violent criminal convictions. despite the lies that you hear coming out of the white house, i.c.e. is meeting its quotas by targeting hardworking immigrants, many here lawfully,

simply trying to pursue the american dream. the first and easiest step to correct this problem is to pass my no secret police act. i urge my colleagues to do so without delay. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from the gentlewoman seek recognition? the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman from michigan is recognized for one minute. ms. tlaib: 267%, that's how much energy prices increase in communities located near big tech data centers. d.t.e. energy in my state already charges some of the highest rates in the nation with some of the most unreliable services. do you like clean water coming out of your taps at affordable prices? so do i. you better hope a data certainty doesn't get built near you. do you like breathing clean air? and being outdoors?

i do. organized like hell to keep these extremely data centers and emissions out of your community. so for many expensive utility companies increased air, water, light, and noise pollution we get a lot of more a.i. slop that nobody asked for. these silicon valley billionaires don't care about our communities. believe me when i tell you all they care about is profit. they don't care these data centers will absolutely make life miserable. all they care about is the money and the power. i'm so inspired by the gatt roots movement in the state of michigan right now popping up all over the state to protect our communities from data centers. i want them to know loud an clear here in congress i have your back. the speaker pro tempore: members are reminded to address their remarks to the share and to avoid profanity.

for what purpose does the gentis recognized for one minute. ms. kmiss cap miss capture: witp gratitude i rise today to honor the afl-cio's 70th anniversary. 70 years ago the afi-cio co-joined laborers with a bold vision, the dignity of a day's work must be matched by the dignity of a workers' life. their merger formed a promise, america would be stronger when working people stand together. that promise is personal. our mother was a proud union organizer. her union badge along with our fathers helped our family be more secure with union membership. it opened doors for opportunities we could only dream of as a working class family. a living wage, the opportunity for more education, health

insurance, and retirement benefits. so today let us honor the bold generations of workers who built our factories, powered our industries, cared for our ill, and chance vanceed our communities. as our nation faces new challenges from international outsourcing to corporate consolidation, we recommit ourselves to the fight for living wage jobs, fair trade, affordable health insurance, and to passing the pro-worker protections in the p.r.o. act. to the afl-cio, thank you. for 70 years of solidarity, strength, and service to america's working families. here's to 70 more. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition? >> unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from new york is recognized for one minute. >> thank you, mr. speaker. new york's 19th congressional district is home to not one but two championship field hockey

teams. the wit any point eagles just won their fifth straight state title, that's 10 championships in the last 11 years. the mr. riley: the kind of composure under pressure that you only get from hard work and discipline and great coach. and the windsor black knights just brought home their first state championship. the thing i love about this team is how tight knit they are. during a postgame interview gabby said the things she'll remember the most wasn't raising the toetry -- trophy, it was the bonds she built with her teammates. we are proud of these women from windy point in windsor. they represent the very best of our rural communities and set an example for the next generation. what you can accomplish when you give it your all. i would like to enter into the congressional record the names of each player on these championship teams. go eagles, and go black knights.

the speaker pro tempore: without objection. for what purpose does for what purpose does the gentlewoman from massachusetts seek recognition? unanimous consent to address the house. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman shall be recognized for one minute. ms. pressley: i rise to recognize the life and legacy of mother viola ford fletcher. she was a steward of black history and cultural preservation. at 111 years old she carried within her the memories of one of our nation's darkest chap, the 1981 tulsa race massacre and bore those memories with courage and grace. she traveled the world demanding justice not just for herself or her family but for greenwood, for the generations robbed of life and prospertism when she testified in this institution, her voice shook the halls of congress and the conscience of our nation. mother fletcher's passing is a

fro found -- a profound loss but her legacy is a reminder to fight for full reparations. may we honor her by must'ving in her spirit with unyielding faith that justice, though delayed, is not deanymore. i yield. the speaker pro tempore: under the speaker's announced policy of january 3, 2025, the gentleman from california, mr. kylie, a recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader. mr. kiley: mr. speaker, i wish to congratulate j.b. harris, j.t. clever leer, and the entire team at ecoclean solutions for reaching a record breaking milestone late last year.

one more square feet of lake tahoe shoreline cleaned by the team's beach cleaning robot. j.b. and j.t. two longtime friends if las vegas, were drawn to the sierra nevada by the beauty and lifestyle of the mountains. as their connection to the area and the great outdoors deeped they witnessed the toll of increased tourism on their natural surroundings. with the motivation to give back to the home that had given them so much, ecoclean was created to respond to the need for environmental responsibility and sustainability. with the annual number of visitors to lake tahoe growing to 15 million people, beaches experienced a surge in waste particularly during peak travel seasons. j.b. and y.t. recognized the problem and set out to find innovative and low-impact solutions to this growing concern. in their search they discovered the first battery and so lohr -- solar powered beach clean og pot on the west coast. through funding by the north

california alliance they were able to successfully deploy the robot to the shores of lake tahoe, maximizing cleanup efforts through advanced technology and in partnership with local volunteers. through this solution, they have cleaned more than one million square miles of lake tahoe shoreline, picking up over 38,000 pieces of litter that may have become pollution in lake tahoe. in comparison to visible litter items collected by volunteer be-bots collect up to 10 times the number of item, hidden under the sand. they collaborate with several organizations one of which includes the desert research institute which analyzes the litter taken from the lake to better understand pollute tans and better address their source. it is an honor to represent exemplary businesses like ecoclean solutions in the house of representatives. they exemplify how american innovation can serve as a solution to the issues facing

our communities and the nation at large. therefore on behalf of the united states house of representatives, i am honored to recognize j.b., j.t. and ecoclean solutions for reaching this significant milestone and for their ongoing dedication to protecting the beauty of lake tahoe's shorelines for generations to come. mr. speaker, i rush to -- i wish to recognize and commemorate the 75-year anniversary of the south tahoe public utility district, a trusted steward of environmental protection and sustainable water management in the tahoe community. the south tahoe public utility district was formed in the 1950's to protect the eco. so the tahoe basin while furnishing customers with reliable water and wastewater treatment services. since then they've grown into a national you till -- nationally recognized utility that exemplifies exceptional.

i in public service. the district supplies quality drinking water and provides reliable wastewater collection, treatment and export services to over 14,000 residents and 660 commercial and government sites. their services play a significant role in the function of the region and have improved the quality of life and experiences for residents, businesses and visitors. over the span of more than seven decades, the south tahoe public utility district that is achieved a wide diversity of accomplishments including building the world's first advanced wastewater treatment plant, earning national recognition as the environmental protection agency's wastewater treatment plant of the year, and becoming a 100% recycled wastewater operation. just to name a few. these successes reflect the district's deep commitment to protecting lake tahoe's environment, ensuring the sustainability of its water resources and fostering

community engagement. throughout its history the south tahoe public utility district has faced and overcome many unique challenges. during drought, wildfires and even a global pandemic, the district did not falter in its mission in. moments of crisis, like wildfire, they displayed colonel and determination standing shoulder-to-should we are fire tigers under hazardous conditions and evacuation orders to continuously maintain water flow and wastewater treatment. for three quarters of a century, the south tahoe public utility district has established a legacy of efficiency, professional. i, and excellence. i have no doubt that that legacy will only continue to grow in the years to come. it has been a privilege to work alongside the south tahoe public utility district throughout my tenure as tahoe's representative in congress. therefore on behalf of the united states house of representatives and california's

third congressional district, i am proud to celebrate this milestone and to commend the south tahoe public utility district for their 75 years of unwavering dedication to the region and the protection of a national treasure. that is lake that is lake tahoe. mr. speaker, i rise today to urge prompt action on a matter that could make life a lot more difficult for millions of millions of people in this country. and that is this expiration of tax credits that could lead to a massive increase in health care costs. we're talking about 22 million americans who will be directly affected, some of them seeing thousands and thousands of dollars in increases in their health care costs.

that's something that a lot of these folks simply cannot afford. that is the reality of what will happen if congress does nothing. if congress fails to act. because that is not acceptable to me, and i know it's not acceptable to a lot of members on both sides of the aisle, i've introduced legislation with sam lacardo, a bipartisan bill called the fix-it act which will stop this cliff from occur which will spare these americans this massive increase in health care costs. here's what it does. it says let's extend these tax credits for a temporary period of time. for two years. that will give us the runway that we need to work on a broader solution to the health care affordability crisis in america without forcing millions of americans to pay the price in the meantime. now, importantly, our bill not only provides this temporary extension, but it also includes

reforms that pay for themselves. in other words, the savings that we get through our reforms are actually greater than the cost of the extension itself. this according to the center for responsibility federal budget that analyzed several proposal that was out there and found that the bill that sam lacardo and i introduced is the only one that does not increase the deficit and indeed actually achieves savings for taxpayers. we do this with sensible cost control, income caps to make sure that the tax credits goes to those who truly need it. you'll still be eligible as long as you're a family of four up to an income level of $192,000. it also includes strong anti-fraud measures that will save billions from the fraud that we know is far too pervasive in this program. it enacts reforms to a program called medicare advantage that are supported by the aarp because we've seen insurers have

been overcharging in this program to the tune of tens of billions of dollars over the course of a decade. so all of those elements not only make it so we're not increasing the deficit or having to raise taxes or increase spending with this extension, but they also make the extension inlearnly temporary in the sense that if you have a pay-for like we do, then any extension you'll have to find another pay-for that will entail additional tradeoffs. that's an accountability measure to make sure this doesn't become just a never-ending series of extensions but truly is temporary. there are a growing number of members in both parties, we just had a press conference who understand what is at stake here. not just, by the way, for 22 million americans who will be directly impacted, who utilize

the individual market and bene but if you see millions of people who ultimately choose not to gethe employer-providing mark as well. people will be seeing increased costs there as well. when we talk about affordability which is so important to so many people in this country right now, there's perhaps no single policy issue that will have a higher impact on affordability in this country than doing something about this issue right now. and for my colleagues on the republican side, i would simply point out this, when you look at the 22 million americans who will be most directly impacted, a lot of these folks are people that republicans have been fighting for for a long time. for example, independent contractors, freelancers, gig workers, uber drivers. they have been under attack from the likes of gavin newsom and the corrupt political class in

sacramento who have targeted them, made it difficult for them to practice their profession. the biden administration brought in newsom's labor secretary, julie su, to do the same thing, targeting independent contractors on a national level. they're perhaps the people who suffer most if these tax credits expire because they rely on the individual market and don't really have any other option. they'll be forced to pay thousands and thousands of dollars more when their income is already uncertain. we simply can't let that happen. or small businesses. small business owners. their employees. who rely on the individual market. this will absolutely be devastating to many of them if they're forced to shoulder this kansas. early retirees who are not yet eligible for medicare, millions of them rely on the tax credits. that's why i believe that doing nothing is not an option. and i have made no credit of the fact that i think the house of representatives has been missing

in action in a lot of ways in recent months. the house was literally not here for a period of almost two months. the speaker inex-publically -- the speaker inexplicably canceled session for weeks. the house has even chosen to cede some of its own legislative authority on certain issues. this is extremely troubling to me. i have been encouraging a change of course and this issue right now which is a matter of urgency which needs to be dealt with, before the end of the year, is an opportunity for the house to change course. to reclaim its legislative authority. to actually drive policy in the right way. to become the people's house again by actually serving the american people in a way that will make a profound difference in the lives of many of them throughout the country.

mr. speaker, i rise to present some truly bewildering and completely unacceptable news out of my state, the state of california. i have been very critical of government performance in our state. with giving taxpayers the services that they are paying for. this latest example makes that point very, very clearly. for the last six or so years californians have been paying an extra fee on their phone service. this was due to legislation enacted by the legislature and signed into law by the governor. so all of these fees were selected for the purpose of creating a next generation 911

system. which honestly is something that we need. the system is quite outdated and antiquated and not up to the task of serving the many different kinds of emergencies that we get in california. so for the last six years these extra fees paid for by california taxpayers, which are in addition to the state budget itself going up over 50% during that time period, these fees were used to build out this new 8911 -- 911 system. the state spent $450 millionle building out -- million building thought 911 system. just last week it was announced, after spending all this money, the state is scrapping the entire project. because the technology does not work. it is absolutely beyond belief. the $450 million that

californians have been paying on their phone bill was absolutely, completely squandered, wasted by the state, which, not only wasted all of that money, but has now left californian was an inadequate 911 system because they need to start over from square a. this, mr. speaker, is an example of how the failures in sacramento that have degraded the quality of life for people throughout our state, are not a matter of democrat versus republican, but simply a matter of competence, of basic government performance, of serving the people of our state as opposed to serving our ag agendas. so i hope that this latest debacle will be a wake-up call to demand the sort of accountability that our taxpayers are entitled to in california. and for the way the government

in sacramento is run to be completely revisited -- revisited, to be reoriented in way that's based on performance, competence, that draws upon the best practices of the private sector, and ultimately is geared toward citizen service rather than the other interests and agendas that too often prevail at our capital. mr. speaker, for years i have been warning about the declining education outcomes that exist across our country, but in particular in my state of california. and we just received a jarring reminder of just how bleak things have gotten. u.c. san diego, which is a rather selective school in california, has recently

announced that a large share of its students can no longer even do basic math. the school announced that the number of students who require remedial courses has gone from one out of every 100 to one out of every eight. this truly jarring state of affairs comes in spite of a massive increase in education funding in california. indeed, since governor newsom came into office, the overall education budget has increased by almost $40 billion. yet what's the outcome of that? we have students at a fairly selective university who can't do basic math, and by the way the state also has the highest illiteracy rate in the entire country. i have advocated for reforms to

our education system in california that would actually close achievement gaps and serve students. as chair of the k-12 education subcommittee here in the house of representatives, i have advocated for those reforms not just for our state but on the national level as well. we have seen that when states and districts take a data-based approach to instruction, then it can get tremendous results for students. we see examples like kipp or success academy. these are charter networks that have vastly, vastly outperformed other public schools, despite serving students who are well below the poverty level in many cases. if success academy were its own district it would rank at the top of rankings in student performance in the state of new york, which is one of the reasons i'm sponsoring the high quality charter school act that would make more students like that -- more opportunities like

that veilable throughout the country. we held hearings in my subcommittee on teaching literacy appropriately which california is moving in that direction. teaching math appropriately. getting back to basics. utilizing education technology in the right way without having students have the exposed to excessive screen time. we have looked at school choice programs, including most importantly expanding charter schools. and we have looked at the foundational importance of parental rights. in california, unfortunately, we have an education system that is not about the kids. that's why we have among the highest achievement gaps in the country. that's why we have these jarring statistics that we are getting out of u.c. san diego. that's why california had the longest school shutdown in the entire country during covid-19. i would hope that these latest numbers will serve as a wake-up call to enact the sort of educational reforms that have worked well in other states, because we are failing our students right now, and we are

imperilling our state and increasingly our country's future. mr. speaker, there is no doubt that affordability and the cost of living are increasingly salient issues for many, many people in this country. and it's becoming harder for many people to get by. there are many reasons for that. i have proposed, in fact, passed legislation in a number of areas related to the cost of energy and cost of health care to start to address those problems. but i was caught somewhat by surprise to hear the governor of my own state of california commenting on this issue, and even saying that no state matches california's success

that, quote, the numbers speak for themselves. so i thought i would go through what some of those numbers are when it comes to the lack of affordability in the state of california, because i think it offers insight in the steps that we could take initial-l -- nationally to make life more affordable for folks not only in california but across the country. the basic gist of it is to do exactly the opposite of what california has done. so newsom says the numbers speak for themselves. here are the numbers. california has the highest gas prices in the entire country. number one out of all 50 states. it's not even close. you can drive a few miles from here in maryland, another blue state, by the way, and you'll get gas for $1.50, $2 cheaper. you can go to hawaii, an island state after all, and you'll get

gas for 20 cents cheaper than you do in california. the cost of electricity, california is number one in the country. "the new york times" recently published a map showing how much energy electricity rates have increased over the last several years, which tracks during the time that gavin newsom became governor. california saw by far the biggest increase in electricity costs of any state in the country. water bills, california ranks first or close to it of any state in the country for how much we pay for water. the cost of housing, california is number one in the country for the medium cost of a home. actually number in the continental united states. hawaii is a little more expensive there. taxes, california is number one, has the highest income tax rate of any state in the country, as well as the highest gas tax rate of any state in the country. government spending and debt are

so much higher in california, and that relates to affordability as well. because of course it means that we have to get more money in taxes and fees. it also means that the infrastructure that supports businesses is inadequate, which raises their cost of living, which results in higher costs to consumers. not to mention california being the worst business environment of any state in the country. repeatedly been rated as having the worst litigation environment as well, which means that those costs are passed on to consumers, too. insurance, when it comes to fire insurance, in many parts of our state, you pay more than you pay just about anywhere in the country. because of the catastrophic fires that have done so much damage. and because of the way the insurance issue itself has been mismanaged. so what is the lesson here? number one, the lesson is california needs to change its own policies. but number two, we can learn

from california's failures as we enact reforms at the federal level to improve the quality of life and affordability for folks throughout the country. so when it comes to gas prices, it's no mystery what's happened. california's taxes and regulations and insistence on special fuel funds have caused costs to go up inordinately. this doesn't even factor in that we have two refineries about to close. fortunately we just passed legislation here in congress to address partially this issue of refineries. there is one study from u.s.c. says by the end of next year californians could pay $8 for gas. electricity, california has passed all kinds of regulations that no other state has, at least not to that extent, that restrict the supply of energy in our state. by the way, it's done ostensibly in the name of the environment, but california's policies have been incredibly damaging to the environment as well. just in one year, for example,

the catastrophic wildfires that our state had erased all of the emissions reductions from the prior 16 years. in fact, it erased them two times over because of our state's very poor policies when it comesle to forest management, which goes to the insurance issue as well. that's why i'm very proud to sponsor the fix our forest act which allows for more effective forest management, which will stop catastrophic wildfires, which will make it so we don't have to keep raising the price of insurance. that has passed the house of representatives with bipartisan support. and it's time for the senate to pass it as well. when it comes to the cost of housing, we have seen how california has filed on fee after fee after fee so a project costs tens of thousands of dollars before you break ground. worse, we have seen how california has allowed frivolous lawsuits to delay projects for years and decades. that all gets baked into the price of the home. that's why i'm sponsoring a number of measures here to try

to make housing more affordable. the tax issues speak for themselves. we have a lot we need to do to continue to make life more affordable for americans. we have seen some progress in certain areas when it comes with the price of gas across the country. when it comes to the supply of energy. and some other issues. unfortunately, people in my state are bearing the brunt of it. i would again encourage the leaders of our legislature and the governor to chart a different course, to start working for the people of california. this is why, by the way, we have the highest real poverty rate in the entire country. because the cost of living is so high, and the economic opportunity is so low. we actually have the highest unemployment rate in california as well. as the governor would say, the numbers speak for themselves. so i would encourage us here not only for those of us in california to encourage a change in action on the part of our state's own leadership, but for congress itself to follow the

anti-newsom playbook in making sure we don't see costs across the entire country rise to the level they have in california. mr. speaker, i wanted to share some data that has recently been published on the safety of autonomous vehicles. and self-driving cars, which have been widely deployed in a number of cities across the country. in california, wamo has been operating for years now in san francisco and in los angeles, and now their footprint is about to expand to wine country. even into the sacramento area. they may even be coming to washington, d.c., soon. tesla has a self-driving feature available on its cars as well. and they have been publishing some very encouraging data. but what the data shows very clearly is that even at the

current state of the art, which will continue to improve, the state-of-the-art as it exists right now, autonomous vehicles are overwhelmingly safer than human operated vehicles. by a factor of about 10 when it comes to the risk of injury or death. and so when you think about that, that means that being in an autonomous vehicle, self-driving car, is a much more effective safety intervention than wearing a seat belt, which you should continue to wear a seat belt as well. there was an article in "the new york times" a couple days ago from a doctor who actually likened this to a clinical trial where you actually have to stop the trial because the drug performs so well and it becomes unethical to continue to give people the mr. seenine not give them access to the drug. ..

so we have 40,000 people who die in this country every year on the roads, many others suffer serious, life-changing injuries. every american has been affected in some way, knows someone who has been involved in an accident. we now have the technology within our reach to drastically reduce that number. to save tens of thousands of dollars -- of lives every year just in this country. to spare tens of thousands of people devastating injuries. so i do believe it is a political, policy imperative, it's a moral imperative, to use whatever levers we have here to remove barriers to expanding access to this technology. and i look forward to working with the administration as well as folks on both sides of the aisle to do that. because we really do have an opportunity here to do an immense amount of good. with that, mr. speaker, i yield

back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. under the speaker's announced policy of january 3, 2025, the gentleman from texas, mr. green, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. mr. green: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, and still i rise. at this time i ask unanimous consent for all speakers to have five additional days to revise and extend remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. green: i would at this time yield to the gentlelady from massachusetts, ms. pressley, for her statements and she may have as much time as she should consume. ms. pressley: thank you, mr. green. thank you for your moral clarity always and your leadership, especially during these deeply consequential times. mr. speaker, every parent hopes

that no harm, heart break or hardship finds their child. we want our children, especially when they are babies, to know safety. warmth. full bellies. and a peaceful slumber. when they are young, especially during the fall and winter months, in the throes of cold and flu season, little ones carry raspy coughs and runny noses home from the playground. dads tuck their little ones in at night under a warm blanket hoping they will sleep ok. they hole their babies to their chest and listen for the threat of labored breathing, wondering if they'll have to make an e.r. rub in the middle of the night. they whisper a prayer every parent of every faith knows. i hope my baby is ok.

but for parents in gaza, as the weather turn, heavy rainfall and freezing temperatures present new threats. palestinian families have endured a genocidal campaign for year, their homes reduced to rubble, many have no warm jacket to wrap their child in or a dry blanket to tuck them under. and still they whisper the same prayer. i hope my baby is ok. mr. speaker, in gaza, children have been murdered as u.s. bombs deployed by the israeli army have rained down on civilians. children have been murdered by sniper fire and starvation. every one of those more than 20,000 children, every single one of of them murdered, was someone's whole world. since a ceasefire was declared in the media and the world have shifted their gaze, but families in gaza still live under the

constant threat, the threat of violence, the elements of starvation, earlier this year, my colleagues, congresswoman pettersson and senator gallego and i led over 100 members of congress in urging the state department to immediately surge humanitarian aid and ready to feed infant formula to families in gaza to save lives. in a written response, the state department expressed concern about the crisis but words without action are not only empty, they are deadly. we have doubled down on our calls and demand the state department send members of congress a weekly update on exactly how much aid is entering gaza and reaching desperate families. but mr. speaker, aid alone is not enough. especially not for our children who have suffered injuries. especially not for children with

disabilities and complex medical conditions. medical evacuation is a critical aspect of life-saving humanitarian work. and right now over 16,000 -- over 16,500 people are waiting tore medically evacuated from gaza for essential treatment. i recently heard from a mother named hadil. seven months ago, her 6-year-old son died. he died. while awaiting medical evacuation. he suffered from a kidney condition and the decimated medical system in gaza could not provide him the care he needed to survive. now her daughter, lana, who suffers from the same kidney condition is on the wait list for medical evacuation. each day that goes by without adequate treatment, lana's life is in danger. hadil is no different from the parent in boston who clutch theirs child in their arms and

listens for labored breathing as they ride out the flu. just like that parent she would do anything for her baby. just like that parent, she whispers a prayer, i hope they will be ok. every child deserves to live. and thrive. in the timeless words of james baldwin, the children are always our, every single one of them, all over the globe, and i'm beginning to suspect that whomever is incapable of recognizing this may be incapable of morality. mr. speaker, the united states of america built, bought, and sold the bombs that killed palestinians throughout this horrific genocidal campaign, carried out by the israeli military. the united states of america once claimed to be a moral and just authority but today all the globe sees is the blood on the hands of this nation. it is not too late to appeal to our better angel, to act with

urgency to save lives. to support medical evacuations. to surge baby formula and aid. to chart a path forward to save lives. every child is someone's whole world. every life is a universe. and our destinies are tied. i yield. mr. green: permit to -- permit me to commend the lady for her powerful and moving commentary. with your consent and permission, i associate myself with it. mr. pressley: it would be an honor. thank you, mr. green. mr. green: thank you. and still i rise, mr. speaker. a very proud, liberated democrat. unbought. unbossed. and unafraid. and i raise today, mr. speaker, to address a question that many

are posing. and a question that i thought i should answer publicly so all would understand. the question is, why am i moving to bring impeachment, again, against the president of the united states of america. the answer will be better explained when the articles of impeachment are presented. however, i do believe that it is necessary to give some indication today and possibly at a later time as to why this is so important. why would i do such a thing? mr. speaker, i -- i agree with vice president dick cheney. i agree with him, i agree with a statement he has made. yes, vice president cheney

represents the republic party or he did when he was vice president. and everyone knows that i'm a democrat. but that doesn't mean that we can't agree on some of the important and great issues of our time. one of the great issues of our time is before us now and i'd like to read the words of vice president cheney, words that i agree with, mr. speaker. vice president cheney has indicated, and if i may use my pointer, he has indicated on september 6 of 2024, this was published, he indicated, in our nation's 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than donald trump.

let me pause for just a moment. i would like to highlight this language. an individual. one person. who is a greater threat to our republic, important statement, republic, than donald trump. in 248 years. i'll come back to these in just a moment. he tried to steal the last election. now this was september of 2024, so it's the election prior to september of 2024. he tried to steal the last election. using lies and violence to keep

himself in power. keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. he can never be trusted with power again. i agree with this. as citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship, to defend -- actually he says to put country above partisanship. to defend our constitution. now let's walk back through this with emphasis on certain things. one individual, donald trump, is a greater threat to the republic than any others. never before a person who has been a greater threat than

donald trump. why is he a greater threat? well, you first have to understand if you don't, that we have a republic. a republic is government by the public. but it is done by and through representation. representatives. the house of representatives. representatives. the senate. the republic speaks through representatives. we have a republic and he indicates that this president is a great threat to representational government. to the republic. well, let's look at this. he, donald trump, doesn't respect the separation of powers. he believes that the judiciary should agree with him and the judiciary does not agree he has

as much as said they should be impeached. so emphatic was he about this impeachment, that the chief justice of the supreme court of the united states of america had to call him out publicly. didn't use his name but we all knew that he was speaking to the president at the time, president donald trump. chief justice of the supreme court reminded the president that in this country we have a history of appealing decisions of the courts. we don't impeach judges because we don't agree with their decisions. we appeal these decisions. he doesn't respect separation of powers. he owns the house of representatives. he owns the senate. the senate, the house, will not make a move would his consent and permission.

as of late, however, there are some indications that some independents -- some independence is starting to present itself. but generally speaking, the president doesn't respect separation of powers. if a member of the house disagrees with him, he immediately calls upon the constituents of that member to do what is necessary within the law, generally speaking, to make sure that that member gets phone calls. to make sure that that member is intimidated. to the extent that that member has to reconsider whatever the disagreement was. this is the president of the united states. the intimidator in chief. he prides himself on his ability to intimidate, to get persons to cooperate. so he doesn't believe in separation of powers.

he disrespects the house and the senate. the members who don't give him what they -- what he desires. desires. he's also a person who thinks that he can literally do whatever he pleases given he has this mandate from the supreme court. the supreme court has indicated -- i say mandate, has given him an indication that he is above the law. in certain areas. the supreme court didn't use the language "above the law" but the supreme court has given him this belief he is above the law. the supreme court talked about immunity. he's taken it as an indication he's above the law and takes it as he chooses. and one of the reasons that vice

president chaney made these comments, the vice president of the united states of america, these are my words, not vice president cheney's but the vice president incited the insurrection. there are people using other terminology, but the insurrection that took place after the election wherein he was defeated. he insighted the persons to come over to the capitol of the united states of america, the citadel of democracy as it is called and known as. he insighted them to come over here to invade the alcohol itself. after the invasion took place, they went through the halls. they did some very ugly things aside from calling for the lynching of people. they had the gallos aside from

these things, they did other things. something as demeaning and vial and as defecating in various public places within the congress, within the buildings. these were some very vial, mean-spirited people who innovated the capitol and they did this at the behest of the president of the united states of america. after all of this was done, the president being sworn in on january 20th of 2025, after all this had taken place at a prior election, the very first act the president engaged in, it seems. after he raised his hand to be

sworn in, upon lowering his hand, he seems to have rushed over to some place that had a document that allowed him to pardon the people that defecated in the congress, in the building. the people that marched through looking for the vice president at that time indicated that they wanted to do harm to it. he pardoned these people. this was his very first act, it seems. immediately after being sworn in. this is the person who is president of the united states of america. and unfortunately, there are many people who just brush aside what happened on january 6, 2021. they just brush it aside as oh, that happened but it won't

happen again, seems to be the attitude among the minds of many. if he did it once, what makes you think he won't do it again? where is the empirical evidence to support the notion that the notion of the person who incited this, the very first act he had, that he engaged in after being elected president again, on january 20th, that's when the president was sworn in in a very rambunctious way, a demeaning way, in fact, people died as a result of this. he instigated this. what causes people to think he won't do it again.

i believe that he will p. i believe that he will find great difficulty in stepping down from office, and as a result of his not respecting the separation of powers as a result of his not understanding that there should be some independence in the judiciary, that the judiciary is not for him to supervise, i put all this into my collection of thoughts, and as i do so, i have to agree with vice president cheney and in our nation's 48-year history there's never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than donald trump. yes, he tried to steal the last election, the election before september 6, 2024, when this

statement was published. he tried to steal the last election, using lies and violence to keep himself in power after voters, the people in the united states of america, the voters had rejected him. he can never be trusted with power again. i will be bringing articles of impeachment, because what vice president cheney, may he rest in peace, what vice president cheney said then, september 6, 2024, is true now. we should never have trusted him. he has been given a second chance to steal fire from the gods. we should never have allowed him to do so. but there is a remedy. when the courts can't control him and when his party won't

control him, then the only remedy left is impeachment. that's all that we have. and there are some people who would say that this is not the right time. well, let's address the question of timing. dr. king says the time is always right to do what is right. if the republic is at risk, the time is always right to do what is right, to make sure the republic is protected. i will be doing what i believe is right to protect the republic. there were people who said to those persons who at the edmund pettus bridge on bloody sunday, this is not the right time to march. don't march now. let's do it another day. but the honorable john lewis who is a member of this very house, a colleague, he said no, we march. and they did march.

and they marched knowing there would be harm that they would have to suffer. they knew this. they saw the constabulary as they approached the crest of the edmund pettus bridge. they knew what was going to happen but they marched on. if they could march on knowing that they were going to be harmed, and the honorable john lewis told me personally he thought he was going to die on that bridge. they beat them all the way back to the church where they started, church-going people, beat them all the way back. if they would march on facing this kind of danger, surely i should march on and bring articles of impeachment. i'm not -- i'm not requiring or asking any member of this house to vote with me. vote your conscience.

do what you believe is right. i'm going to vote my conscience. i'm not going to vote to table these articles of impeachment. those who vote to table are indicateing that for whatever reasons, they don't think it should be an actual vote, that there should be an actual vote on the articles themselves. they're saying let's put this off. well, if that's your opinion, then you do that. but that's not my opinion. there needs to be a vote, not only on this motion to table that would be presented but also a vote on the actual articles of impeachment. this man is a threat to our republic. he cannot be trusted. vice president cheney was right then and he is right now. i'm going to bring those articles of impeachment. and i can only assure the public who is constantly asking me how many votes do you think you'll have? i can only assure you of one

thing. i will have one vote. this i can assure you of. i will have one vote. why? because i believe that it is better to stand alone on some issues than not stand at all. i will stand. i will present the articles and when i vote, if i'm the only person to do it, i will know and posterity will know i have done the right thing. mr. speaker, if you'll give me a moment, i'd like to move to another podium.

and still i rise, mr. speaker. and mr. speaker, i rise today proud to be a liberated democrat. proud to be what my country stands for in maybe of its great documents. proud of the notion that we are a government of the people, by the people, for the people.

proud to know that the notion there should be liberty and justice for all in the pledge. proud to know that we have these words that indicate to all that all persons are created equal and endowed to the creator among certain inalienable rights, the pursuit of happiness. and proud that we would receive and have this statute of liberty , the statute that speaks to the world about who we are. it really symbolizes the united states of america. it is an awesome piece of work accorded to the united states, given to us from our friends,

the french. it is a piece of work, a piece of handcrafted work that is known the world over. people recognize this as a symbol of the united states of america. it has some words on it, mr. speaker. he -- it has these words. give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. the united states stands for freedom, for liberty and justice for all. the wretched refuse of your teaming shore. send these, the homeless, the

tempest tossed to me, the united states of america. then it goes on to say i lift my lamp beside the golden door. the golden door. the door that stands for opportunity, stands for liberty and justice for all, stand for government of the people, by the people, for the people, the golden door. for those persons who are homeless, for those persons yearning to breathe free. that's what the statue of liberty has stood that's what the statue of liberty has stood for, until recently. now, the beautiful lady with the words "give me your tired, your

poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free," the beautiful lady, symbol of the united states of america, hasn't been enshrined on it but at this point given the behavior of this president, donald trump, given the behavior, these words should be associated now with the statue of liberty. give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, with one exception. people of color need not apply. people of color need not apply. the president of the united states of america has indicated that there are nations from which all immigration applications have been put on hold. 19 nations. interesting thing about the 19

nations, dear friends. all saving maybe one or two are nations where persons of color are pre-eminent. all saving one or two. the president is giving the impression that if you're a person of color and an immigrant you are a threat to the united states of america. this is a form of collective punishment that is unacceptable. he is causing people within this country to fear the other. the other. the people from other countries. if you are latino in this country you are now suspect. doesn't matter where you're from. if you're latino in this country you are now suspect. if you look like you're latino, you're now suspect in the united states of america. i remember when i was suspect, probably still am in some quarters.

but i remember when i was suspect. i remember when i was a young man. in the united states of america. and it was thought that generally speaking, thought among the minds of many, that young persons of color would commit crimes, they were criminals, would steal. you got to watch them. you're going to a store. people watch you. this is when i was a younger man. that we were somehow undesirable. in fact, i had people to tell me, go back to africa. didn't even know who i was. this is what i was told as a much younger person. i think longevity has some benefits. it causes you to understand the now because of what happened to you then.

i appreciate and understand why others are apprehensive about their being in this country now. appreciate it because i saw what happened to me and others and how we were treated then. it was called segregation. but that was another form of invidious discrimination which was nothing more or less, maybe more, could have been more, but it was racism. it was all about racism. and we're returning to that past that i thought we left behind. when you decide that countries of color, save one or two of these 19, that you're not desired. you need not apply. you can't apply. and what is interesting about this whole scenario is, there are people from european countries, from european countries, who have overstayed

on their visas. they are here unlawfully. after having overstaid. by the president's definition. but you never hear anything about unlawful, i'm saying unlawful. they use other language. i say undocumented immigrants. they say other things. about the persons who are here without documentation. but people who haveover stayed their visas. from european countries you don't see them being pulled out of cars. generally speaking. there may be an exception. and the press will take that exception to prove a rule. but that's not the way the rules are proved. so you don't see it. you see people of color. people from south of the border. people from these 18 countries.

that are being discriminated against with this policy that he's implementing. and the american public, a good many people, not all, have bought into the notion that if you're from a foreign country you're likely to be a criminal. you're likely to hurt me. this symbol of freedom, of the united states of america, should have enshrined now, people of color need not apply. in spite of everything that i just said, live my country. i love my country. i stand for what the constitution stands for. the constitution of the united states of america should be respected. i stand on the constitution.

i believe that this president has gone too far. too far in many areas. but i especially am concerned about the way people of color are being treated. and i have a history that i have to hearken back to and that is what advises me as to how i can conclude that people of color need not apply. but i want the president to know. that he is not a king. yes, he has control over my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. yes, the supreme court seems to have become a partisan -- a partisan institution, unfortunately. but there are some other folk in this country that will have the last word. they are the people who are

known as we the people. known as we the people in one of our great document. we, the people. we. will have the last word. not all americans agree with this. people of good will and i believe most people in this country are people of good will and they see what's happening. and i believe that they want to make a difference. and i encourage people to make a difference. don't do anything unlawful. i do not condone any acts of violence. i do not. but peaceful protests -- peaceful protest is a part of american history. it's as old as the pilgrims listening at plymouth rock. it is as meaningful as the farmers coming to this capital, complaining about how their farmland was being treated.

it is something that is as meaningful in this country as the actual constitution itself because it's the constitution that gives it its meaning. peaceful protest. so i support that. but i also support something else other than peaceful protest. and that is for people to vote. everybody ought to vote. i'm not going to tell you who that vote for but i am going to say this. we have a country to save. we have a country to save. you can't save your country by not participating. it is a participatory democracy. you have every right, as any other person in this country if you hear my voice. i have no greater right to vote than any other person in this country and neither does the president. one person, one vote. baker vs. carr.

we have a duty, a responsibility, an obligation to vote. so today i'm encouraging people to vote. vote. vote. participate. but i have a very special group of people that i want to approach now with voting. there will be articles of impeachment brought to the congress of the united states of america. for reasons that will be stated in the articles of impeachment. i'm not saying to anybody that exactly what i've said today will be the articles of impeachment. there'll be some members of the press who will distort my words and say i want to impeach because the statue of liberty doesn't have certain language on it. you who are listening to will -- you who are listening will know the tut. that's not true. but that's the way certain members of the press behave. this is the status quo press as i identify them. i want to say to the persons that are going to be a part of

this impeachment. and that will be all of the members of the house of representatives. if they choose to be a part of it. people can opt out if they choose to. but i'm going to encourage you to vote. i'm not going to tell you how to vote. what i am going to suggest to you is this. i will be voting my conscience. i will be voting to protect liberty and justice for all. i will be voting to protect government of the people, by the people, for the people. i will be voting to make sure that all persons are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable right ashes among them the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. i will be voting to protect the country i love. i hope you'll do a similar thing. if you don't vote the way i vote, understand this. i'm not expecting everybody to vote with me. but i can assure the public of

one thing. i will be voting for those articles to not only come to the floor, but to be voted on so that at least one person can show that we believe, this one person believes, and i would be that one person, possibly. one person can show that i believe in what the country stands for. and i'm willing to take a stand to support what i believe. and on some issues, it is better to stand alone than not stand at all. i pledge to bring the articles of impeachment to this floor before the christmas break. i invite all to participate. vote here. and be alert. so that you may understand better why i will do what i will

do. i'm honored to do what i do. i'm honored to serve in this house. and i'm grateful to the speaker and the majority -- pardon me, the minority leader for allowing me this time. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: members are reminded to refrain from again edging -- engaging in personalities toward the president including referring to the president that would have been out of order if in the member's own words. does the gentleman have a motion in. mr. green: i move that the house adjourn. the speaker pro tempore: the question is on the motion to adjourn. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the motion is adopted. accordingly the house stands adjourned until 11:00 a.m. tomorrow.

gentleman is recognized. mr. flood: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to applaud youtube tv and hulu plus live tv for expanding public access to congress by carrying c-span, c-span2, and c-span3 beginning next week. for 46 years c-span's respected nonprofit service has offered americans unfiltered gavel-to-gavel coverage of their government in action. however, millions of streaming households were left without this vital window into the debates and decisions which shape our nation. by adding the c-span networks, youtube tv and hulu plus live tv

are make ago strong and i hope enduring commitment to public service, transparency, and civic engagement. they join cable and satellite providers like comcast, charter, cox, directv, and dish in supporting a treasured service that strengthens accountability and confidence in our democratic systems. this is a big win for the american people. full access will help inform the public no matter how they choose to watch. i thank youtube tv, i thank hulu plus live >> c-span, democracy unfiltered. we're funded by these television companies and more. including charter communications. >> charter is proud to be recognized as one of the best internet providers. and we're just getting started. building thousands of miles of infrastructure to help those who

need it most. >> charter supports c-span along with these other television providers giving you a front row seat to democracy. >> republican matt van epps was sworn into the house two days after winning a special election to represent tennessee's seventh congressional district. the house now has 433 voting members, 220 republicans and 213 democrats. up next we'll show the official swearing in on the floor followed by the ceremonial swearing in conducted by speaker mike johnson. the speaker: the chair lays before the house a communication. the clerk: the honorable the speaker, house of representatives. i have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of the letter received from mr. mark goins, coordinator of elections with the tennessee office of the secretary of state, indicating that according to the unofficial results for the special general

election held on december 2, 2025, the honorable matt van epps, was elected representative to congress for the 7th congressional district of tennessee. signed, sincere-l, kevin f. mccumber, clerk. the speaker: for what purpose does the gentleman from tennessee seek recognition? >> thank you, mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from tennessee, the honorable matt van epps, be permitted to take the oath of office today. his certificate of election has not yet arrived but there is no contest and no question has been raised with regard to his election. the speaker: without objection. will representative elect van epps and the members of the tennessee delegation present themselves in the well. we ask all members to rise and the representative elect will raise his right hand. do you solemnly swear that you will support and defend the constitution of the united states against all enemy, foreign and domestic, that